The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) has raised significant concerns with SBS regarding their recent article about russian oil.*
Key issues include:
The use of “statistics” from a sanctioned Kremlin insider linked to human rights and international law violations.
The morally offensive and false reference to “russian civilian casualties”, setting up a false narrative that “both sides” are equally suffering and guilty of waging a war against civilians – something of which only russia is guilty.
Wrongly ascribing russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as “retaliatory,” which fundamentally misrepresents russia’s total war strategy aimed at destroying Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and morale. This false narrative places blame on Ukraine, echoing russian propaganda.
The fearmongering narrative on fuel price rises, despite most analysts concluding the impact will be minimal.
We believe it’s crucial for media outlets to uphold accurate and ethical reporting on such important issues. Disinformation and russian propaganda narratives seek to sow doubt and confusion, absolve russia of its responsibility for waging its full-scale invasion, and undermine Western support for Ukraine.
The AFUO has discussed its concerns with SBS senior management, who have promised to investigate the matter further and respond shortly. We have explained the deep distress the article has caused to a community already grappling with the devastating impacts of russia’s war against Ukraine. We will keep our community updated on any progress.
If you’d like to voice your concerns, you can email SBS directly: https://help.sbs.com.au/hc/en-au/articles/360002027575-How-do-I-make-a-complaint
* Please note: We are deliberately excluding the title of the specific article as we do not wish to spread and raise the profile of a piece that contains russian propaganda.
